Six-Night Itinerary for First-Time Visitor to BVI ?

[kyleresq]

Hello, I am going to be bareboat chartering a sailboat in the BVI December 10-17. We are just sleeping aboard the 10th, so we will have 6 nights to explore and sail. My travel partner is an experienced sailor but this is all new to me. Does anyone have any good 6 day itinerary recommendations for us? We snorkel but don't dive, but definitely plan to fish!

[LifeJacket]

Six days could look some something like this (basically anti-clockwise around Tortola):
1. Sleep aboard Road Town
2. lunch on Salt Isl. (snorkle or dive wreck of the Rhone)
3. Night at Cooper
4. Up early to the Baths
5. nice sail up to Gorda Sound. Night at Bitter End, Saba, or Leverick Bay
6. Lunch at the Dogs (snorkle)
7. Night at Marina Cay or Trellis Bay
8. Downwind sail to Cayne Garden Bay (Night).
9. Lunch Green Cay, or Sandy Spit
10. Night at White Bay, Jost Van Dyke (we usually spend two nights on Jost at a minimum)
11. Sail the Cut, snorkle the Indians
12. Night in The Bight, Norman Isl
13. Turn the boat back in.

This is obviously cutting out Anegada but with only 6 nights it is hard to get that in ... you could always skip Gorda sound ... and after the Baths spend the Night at Marinna Cay then head to Anegada, spend the night and then return to Jost Van Dyke or Cayne Garden Bay.

As an FYI, you will be sailing in relatively shallow water and would have to work to get to the shelf to do some real, bacteria free fishing (closest is south of the islands). You will catch stuff (small tuna, jack and baracuda) but make sure you have tested it prior to eating it. Would hate to end up paralyzed from the bacterial toxin prevalent in the shallow waters.

Have a great trip!

[kyleresq]

We agree that Anegada won't work for this trip, so if we love it (which I am sure we will) we will plan on that next time. Thank you for your comments about the fish...how would we test it to be sure it is bacteria free before eating?

[Vasco]

If you're fishing in the BVI make sure you get a fishing permit.
Licenses & Permits: Need To Know in - The British Virgin Islands:Licenses & Permits

[LifeJacket]

They sell ciguatera toxin test kits. These are not the most simple things in the world. A couple years ago I tried using one with 3 other guys (2 engineers and 2 construction project managers) and to say it is complicated is an understatement. Lots of negative/positive testing and the like. It could also have been the number of sundowner's consumed prior to running the test. It just reinforced our wive's thoughts that we are idiots.

Some folks claim that Alkazeler either prevents or absorbs the toxin. Not sure I am up for testing that theory with the results being paralysis etc.

The fish that have the toxin are those predators that eat the fish off the reef. So thus if you are off the shelf going for large Mahi or Tuna you are safe.

[kyleresq]

Thank you! We were told about that. Currently trying to get one before we get there, but we will hit up one of the sports shops if we don't already have one.

Originally Posted by Vasco

If you're fishing in the BVI make sure you get a fishing permit.
Licenses & Permits: Need To Know in - The British Virgin Islands:Licenses & Permits

[kyleresq]

That's hilarious. I am a total fishing novice but my boyfriend sails and fishes a lot. I think maybe there should be some sort of public campaign against "drinking and testing"....

Originally Posted by LifeJacket

They sell ciguatera toxin test kits. These are not the most simple things in the world. A couple years ago I tried using one with 3 other guys (2 engineers and 2 construction project managers) and to say it is complicated is an understatement. Lots of negative/positive testing and the like. It could also have been the number of sundowner's consumed prior to running the test. It just reinforced our wive's thoughts that we are idiots.

Some folks claim that Alkazeler either prevents or absorbs the toxin. Not sure I am up for testing that theory with the results being paralysis etc.

The fish that have the toxin are those predators that eat the fish off the reef. So thus if you are off the shelf going for large Mahi or Tuna you are safe.

[kyleresq]

That's a fantastic sounding itinerary, thank you so much! We are too excited about this trip.

Originally Posted by LifeJacket

Six days could look some something like this (basically anti-clockwise around Tortola):
1. Sleep aboard Road Town
2. lunch on Salt Isl. (snorkle or dive wreck of the Rhone)
3. Night at Cooper
4. Up early to the Baths
5. nice sail up to Gorda Sound. Night at Bitter End, Saba, or Leverick Bay
6. Lunch at the Dogs (snorkle)
7. Night at Marina Cay or Trellis Bay
8. Downwind sail to Cayne Garden Bay (Night).
9. Lunch Green Cay, or Sandy Spit
10. Night at White Bay, Jost Van Dyke (we usually spend two nights on Jost at a minimum)
11. Sail the Cut, snorkle the Indians
12. Night in The Bight, Norman Isl
13. Turn the boat back in.

This is obviously cutting out Anegada but with only 6 nights it is hard to get that in ... you could always skip Gorda sound ... and after the Baths spend the Night at Marinna Cay then head to Anegada, spend the night and then return to Jost Van Dyke or Cayne Garden Bay.

As an FYI, you will be sailing in relatively shallow water and would have to work to get to the shelf to do some real, bacteria free fishing (closest is south of the islands). You will catch stuff (small tuna, jack and baracuda) but make sure you have tested it prior to eating it. Would hate to end up paralyzed from the bacterial toxin prevalent in the shallow waters.

Have a great trip!

[LifeJacket]

No problem! We cut our teeth in the BVI and fell in love with the islands, people, culture, and sailing. Just remember ... Island time! Slow down, enjoy each other and this slice of paradise.

We are actually taking our kids for their first cruise in February to the BVI. We shall see how a 7yo, 5yo, and 2yo (yikes) take to the islands.

[kyleresq]

I think that's a great idea, getting them used to sailing young. I am a huge proponent of Island Time, we will definitely enjoy our week of R&R!

Originally Posted by LifeJacket

No problem! We cut our teeth in the BVI and fell in love with the islands, people, culture, and sailing. Just remember ... Island time! Slow down, enjoy each other and this slice of paradise.

We are actually taking our kids for their first cruise in February to the BVI. We shall see how a 7yo, 5yo, and 2yo (yikes) take to the islands.

[S/V Antares]

Be sure the kids take well fitted, comfortable PFD's as the charter company may not have them or good ones.

Feb. should be OK but Cayne Garden Bay can have an uncomfortable swell.

[Hud3]

This link is from a custom Google search on "BVI Itinerary". Lot's of past discussions for you to page through.

bvi itinerary - Google Search

Click on the link in my sig line if you want to try some different search terms.

To repeat some advice above...do not fish without a license. If you're caught you could go to jail (it's happened!) and/or face a very stiff fine.

[kyleresq]

How about December? Any things we should be aware of then?

[zeehag]

i loved the area in december-make sure in cane garden bay that you buy rum from local distillery--awesome!!!! go over the hill to brewers bay--lovely views and beautiful place---ask for coconuts, even f they fell off a tree--all belongs to the natives-- permission is a civilized thing. excellent rum at callwood distillery there.
rolly anchorage--
supposed to be christmas winds--was a la nina year, so we had no winds then...

[sarafina]

Originally Posted by S/V Antares

Be sure the kids take well fitted, comfortable PFD's as the charter company may not have them or good ones.

Originally Posted by LifeJacket

We are actually taking our kids for their first cruise in February to the BVI. We shall see how a 7yo, 5yo, and 2yo (yikes) take to the islands.

Ok that tickled my funny bone.

Antares, you gave excellent advice... to a guy whose name is Lifejacket ; -D

Since the OP (have a great trip by the way sounds like scads of fun ; -) is traveling with another adult he needn't worry about kids pfds.

And I am betting that Lifejacket has plenty of them...

Oh sometimes the forums make for great slapstick ; -)